The Best Gear for Cyclists Who Love Camping by the Trails

Love spending some quality time with nature? We recently took a trip to Ki-Jo Mary Forest and Baxter State Park in Maine in a GMC Sierra Denali 2500 equipped with a Napier trunk tent. Here is the best gear we tested out—gear that will make your camping trips as enjoyable as possible.

Big Agnes Skeeter SL 20

Big Agnes

This bag is rated to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and uses DownTek waterproof down to absorb less water and dry quicker if the bag gets wet, keeping you warm even when the morning dew sets in. The traditional mummy shape and cinching hood offer comfort and a warm and snug fit. The bag also comes with a clip-on pad sleeve so you can slot your sleeping pad onto the bag, preventing you from rolling off the pad in the night. With interior loops for sleeping bag liners and exterior loops to hang the bag out to dry, the Skeeter SL 20 is a versatile bag that's light enough to carry on your back and durable enough to toss in the back of a truck.

Gerber US-Assist

Gerber

A solid knife can be your best friend in the woods. It's useful for cutting fishing line, preparing dinner, and plenty more. The Gerber US-Assist has thick thumb studs on either side and a smooth ball bearing assisted-opening design. It means you can easily flick the blade open with either hand. The three-inch hardened steel blade stands up nicely through weeks of use, and the glass-reinforced nylon handle offers a solid grip. As a bonus, the knife's pocket clip can be moved to either side of the handle to carry to knife blade up or blade down.

Camp Chef Everest 2-Burner Camp Stove

Camp Chef

The Everest 2 from Camp Chef folds up just like a suitcase for convenient packing and carrying, but puts out great burner heat—20,000 BTU—for cooking anything from bacon to pasta. With two burners that run on 16.4 oz. propane canisters, you can easily boil water for coffee on one side and cook breakfast on the other. Side shields block wind and the steel drip tray keep things nice and clean.

ALPS OutdoorZ King Kong Chair

ALPS OutdoorZ

Every camping trip needs some nice chairs to pull up around the fire, and the ALPS OutdoorZ King Kong Chair will make you feel like king of the campground. The King Kong has two cup holders and a side pocket for your gear. With a stainless steel frame, this seat can hold up to 800 pounds and will last for trip after trip. Big, comfy, durable—it's everything a good camp chair should be. Just don't expect to carry it on a long trek.

Coleman Quad Pro LED Lantern

Coleman

The Coleman Quad Pro is perfect for the family because it can serve as one bright centerpiece around the campground or four individual lights that clip off and can be carried around. With 70 hours of light on the medium setting and a combined brightness of 200 lumens, you won't have to worry about stumbling around in the dark. You can also crank the lantern up to high for a whopping 800 lumens, or dim it down for maximum battery life. The individual panels recharge when attached to the base, and the LED lights give you consistent brightness without burning fuel or getting hot.

Tinder Hot Box Solar Fire Starter

Solo Scientific

A lighter or box of matches will do just fine when sparking the kindling for a fire, but where is the fun in that? This parabolic mirror fire starter by Solo Scientific lets you harness the energy of the sun to get your campfire going. Make sure you use dark tinder to absorb the sunlight and point the mirror directly at the sun and direct the beam onto the tinder. Once it gets going, toss the tinder into some dry kindling and help it get going by blowing a little oxygen into the fire. A convenient case can hold more tinder for the Hot Box and keep the mirror nice and clean—perfect for a hot, sunny day.

Deuter Speed Lite 20 Pack

Deuter

The German company Deuter has been making some of the best hydration packs out there for years. The Speed Lite 20 is perfect for day hikes and short excursions, combining Deuter's great water bladder and drinking tube with enough room to carry food, clothing, and extra gear. If you want the convenience of a hydration system built into a durable pack with enough room to hold lunch, the Speed Lite 20 won't let you down.

ENO DoubleDeluxe Hammock

Eagles Nest Outfitters

A hammock is key to any relaxing weekend in the woods. Eagles Nest Outfitters, better known as ENO, makes terrific hammocks that can be easily stuffed into a carry bag. The DoubleDeluxe isn't the lightest hammock from ENO, but it still collapses into a surprisingly small pouch, and the extra material makes naps or afternoon reading sessions that much more comfortable.

Black Diamond Iota Headlamp

Black Diamond Equipment

The key to navigating a dark campsite with ease is a good headlamp. The Iota from Black Diamond is just that—everything you need in a headlamp and absolutely nothing you don't. With an LED light that pumps out 150 lumens, this compact light is more than enough to pick your way through the dark. The headlamp has a full brightness and a dimmer setting, as well as a strobe option in case you get lost out in the wilderness and need to put out a signal. Rechargeable batteries help make this headlamp one of the most convenient options for lighting up the night.

YETI Roadie 20 Cooler

YETI

For beer, meat, fruit, cheese—whatever you want to keep cool, YETI's Roadie 20 will make sure it stays fresh and chilled for as long as possible. These coolers don't come cheap, but the durable quality means one should last you for years and years of romping through the woods. The 20-liter capacity is more than enough for a small group but if you need more storage space, YETI makes essentially the same cooler going all the way up to a trunk-sized 350 liter monster. Watertight and durable, the YETI Roadie will keep your truck dry and your perishables fresh.

Gerber Center-Drive Multi-Tool

Gerber

The latest multi-tool from Gerber is a beast. The retractable pliers are easy to use with one hand, and the tool is packed with all the components you might need on the road or at the campground. The 3.25-inch 420HC steel blade is big enough to be your campsite knife, and the serrated blade is a nice size, too. Perhaps most convenient is the screwdriver with replaceable bits, much longer than you would find on a typical multi-tool and good enough that you can leave the Phillips and flathead at home. If you have been frustrated by dainty multi-tools before, the Center-Drive might be worth a look.

Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit

Goal Zero

If it's going to be sunny, you might as well take full advantage of it. The Guide 10 Plus Solar Kit has the essentials to stay charged up out in the woods. The Guide 10 battery pack holds four rechargeable AA batteries that can be juiced up straight from a USB cord or using solar power captured by the Nomad 7 Solar Panel that comes with the kit. Then you can use the batteries individually or as a pack to recharge your phone, GPS, camera, lamp, and whatever else needs power.

Survive Outdoors Longer All-Weather Fire Cubes

Survive Outdoors Longer

If the weather turns nasty, it's nice to know you have something to get the fire going. Designed for military use, these SOL All-Weather Fire Cubes light easily and burn hot for about 10 to 15 minutes each, or you can break them down into smaller chunks. If the rain starts coming down and you're having trouble getting a fire going, these little guys can be a lifesaver. The pack also comes with easy-to-strike flint—essentially, a lighter without the butane that spits out sparks, which is enough to get these flammable little cubes going under your kindling.

Salomon Men's X Ultra 2 GTX Hiking Shoe

Salomon

A solid trail shoe is crucial to keep your dogs from barking and toes from blistering up. The Salomon X Ultra 2 is perfect for afternoon hikes and scrambling around the campground, and it comes in both the standard and GORE-TEX options so you can get something with a waterproof membrane for crossing rivers and streams. The lightweight design will keep you spry on the trail and the quick lace system makes it easy to slide these shoes on and off in any condition. If you are heading out on a multi-day trek, you might want something with a little more support. For day hikes and walks through the woods, however, the Ultra 2 is comfortable and agile. (There's a version for women, too.)

Snomaster Classic Series Stainless Steel AC/DC Fridge/Freezer

Snomaster

Forget the ice! As long as you've got power, a portable fridge will keep your food and drink cold indefinitely. This dual bin model from Snomaster can be used as a fridge and separate freezer. Each compartment can be set independently -8 degrees F to 50 degrees F. Enjoy ice cream on the road! It runs off 120 AC power or 12/24 DC. There are smaller and cheaper models available as well.

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